Minister for Finance and Public Service Delivery had to make tough decisions
Andrew Davies, Minister for Finance and Public Service Delivery, has today laid the Welsh Assembly Government’s Draft Budget for 2010-11, saying it involved “making tough decisions” but would improve the quality of life for people in Wales.
And he called for “a Team Wales approach” to achieve maximum value for the Welsh pound.
The Minister said:
“People, priorities and partnership are at the heart of this Draft Budget. We are committed to improving the quality of life for people in all parts of Wales, especially the most vulnerable and disadvantaged. Over the past two years we have made good progress in delivering our pledges set out in the One Wales programme of government.
“By working collaboratively with our partners in a spirit of shared responsibility we have sought to help Wales weather the global economic downturn. Through our economic summits we have developed a strong model of partnership working which we will build on to improve services.
“I have said consistently that in future years we cannot expect to see the significant increases in public expenditure of the last decade. We will continue to make the tough choices necessary, and we will continue the Team Wales approach across the public sector to ensure that we get maximum value for the Welsh pound.
“In this climate it is vital that we use our budget effectively, efficiently and innovatively to improve public services. It is these public services that people across Wales, particularly the most vulnerable and disadvantaged, rely on.
“This Draft Budget for 2010-11 sets out how we can continue to improve the public services that people depend on. Despite tighter budgets, overall revenue allocations to departments will increase by some £287 million between 2009-10 and 2010-11. The proposals the Draft Budget contains do, though, reflect the reductions in our overall budget arising from decisions at a UK level. They also reflect our decision to accelerate capital investment from 2010-11 into this and last year to provide an economic stimulus when needed most.
“Our approach to living within tighter budgets is framed around efficiencies – that means focussing on reducing costs and obtaining greater value for our investment rather than reducing services.
“Through taking the tough decisions necessary we have also been able to create the opportunity to allocate funding strategically. For example, £50 million to support both structural changes in the health service and real increases in demand for health services as a result of reductions in waiting times; £34 million to support services delivered by local authorities; some £20 million to tackle youth unemployment;; and £4 million to undertake additional research and development work in collaboration with business.
“Through making the most of all our resources we can continue to progress our One Wales agenda – helping protect and improve the public services that make a real difference to people’s lives.”
Topics: budget, Economy, finance, future, Governance, public service
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